Discrete Manufacturing Process Support

aPriori’s rigorous, physics-based process models address common manufacturing processes including sheet metal fabrication, bar & tube fabrication, welded or mechanical assemblies, plastic molding, sand and die casting, forging, turning and multi-axis machining and a wide variety of heat treatments and surface treatment or finishing operations.

Deterministic routings generate the lowest cost production method from an aPriori baseline Virtual Production Environment (VPE), customer specific VPE, or global supplier VPE. This allows manufacturing and purchasing professionals to explore cost saving production alternatives down to the machine level.

Highlighted Features and Capabilities

Process set-up control, including production volume, product life, material selection and tooling considerations
Automatic or manual machine selection for individual operations
Automatic lowest cost or manual routings supported
Make/buy decisions supported through multi-factory / multi-process routings
Tool libraries (e.g., end mills, drills, etc.) supported
Tooling costs are calculated based on both product design and manufacturing process considerations

Manufacturing Process Groups Supported

All manufacturing processes listed in the column titled "Processes in Baseline Cost Models" are included when a customer orders a Process Group. All manufacturing processes listed in the column titled "Processes Supported by Service Extensions" are available through configuration of the Baseline Cost Models delivered as part of a Process Group. Service Extensions are delivered by aPriori's Professional Services team, and require an separate investment above and beyond the purchase of a license to the Process Group.

We are continuously expanding our library of process models and working closely with our customers to support additional manufacturing methods. If you would like to learn more about our current processes or don’t see the one you are interested in on this list, please contact us.

Process Group	Processes in Baseline Cost Models	Processes Supported by Service Extensions
Sheetmetal I	Cut-to-Length, Shear, Turret Press, Bend Brake, Oxyfuel/Plasma/Laser Cutting, Deslag, Deburr	Folding, Straightening, Flame-Cut Beveling, Plasma-Punch, Laser-Turret, Rolling, Bump Rolling, Ironworker, Water Jet, Laser Etching
Sheetmetal II	Progressive Die, Partial Progressive Die, Stage Tooling, Tandem Die, Transfer Die, Standard Press
Bar & Tube Fabrication	Reciprocating/Band/Circular Sawing, Shear, Tube Laser, Punching, Rotary Draw, Compression, Bend Brake, End Treatments: Bar Forming, Expansion, Flanging, Flaring, Flattening, Knurling, Notching, Reduction, Slotting	Wire Forming
Casting I	Sand Casting	Lost Wax Investment Casting
Casting II	Die Casting, Permanent Mold Casting
Plastic Molding	Single Shot Injection Molding, Reaction Injection Molding (RIM), Structural Foam Molding
Roto/Blow Molding	Rotational Molding, Blow Molding
Sheet Plastic	Thermoforming, Vacuum Forming, Drape Molding
Powder Metal	Powder Metal
Forging	Closed Die Forging
Rapid Prototyping	STS, SLS, 3D Printing
Machining I	CNC 3-axis Milling, CNC 4-axis Milling, CNC 5-axis Milling, Sawing/Cut-to-Length, Gun Drilling, Wire EDM, Drill Press, Deburring	Vertical & Horizontal Boring, Flow Drill, Turret Lathe
Machining II	CNC Turning: 2-axis & 3-axis conventional lathes, 2-axis & 3-axis bar feed lathes, Mill/Turn, Deep Bore/Trepanning, Lathe Roughing (on castings), Lathe Finishing, Single Point Threading, Single Plunge Grooving, Multi-Plunge Grooving, Pinch Turning
Machining III	OD Grinding, ID Grinding, Surface Grinding, Single Index Milling, Rotor Grinding	Double-Disk Grinding
Assembly Welding	Weld Preparation, Manual MIG Welding, Manual Spot Welding, Robotic MIG Welding, Robotic Spot Welding, Weld Cleanup, Welding on Parts	TIG Welding, Resistance, Ultrasonic and Friction Welding, Brazing, Soldering
Mechanical Assembly	Manual Screw, Power Screw, Press Fit, Snap Fit, Rivet, Tab Bend, Nut Insert	Adhesives, Helicoil Insertion
Surface Treatment	Shot Blast, Degreasing, Basic Painting (e.g., cost per surface area), Powder-Coat Car Painting, Wet-Coat Line Painting, One-Sided Fraction Painting, Plating (4 types), Silk Screening	Anodizing, Chem Film, Booth Painting
Heat Treatment	Aging, Annealing (3 types), Cyrogenic Freezing, Solutioning, Stress Relieving, Surface Hardening (3 types), Tempering (2 types) Through Hardening (4 types)	Normalization, Chromizing, Borizing
Inspection	In Process Inspection for: * Sand Casting, Permanent Mold Casting * Heat Treatment	Final Inspection, CMM, Ultrasonic Inspection, Liquid Penetrant Inspection, Magmet Particle Inspection
Packaging	Carton Forming, Pack & Load (wrapping, bagging), Carton Sealing
Logistics		Transportation

Whitepaper Download

How Much Will My Design Cost to Manufacture? Learn More in this free whitepaper.

Download Now

Product Demo

The aPriori Video Player contains a series of Product Demos that walk you through an Introduction to aPriori, and how aPriori is used by New Product Engineering, Value Engineering, Sourcing and Suppliers to OEMs.

View Demo

Get in Touch

To learn more about aPriori's industry leading Product Cost Management software, please contact us to arrange for your personal presentation and product demonstration.

Contact aPriori